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Save
Water
Water is our most precious resource, yet Canadians are the
biggest water wasters in the world. So what’s our record? The
average Canadian uses
329 litres of water per day. While Canada does have
more fresh water than many places in the world, it is not an
inexhaustible resource. The water cycle is a
closed system, so the water that goes down our drains will
eventually be cycled back to us. The water we consume, as well
as what we put into the water cycle, has profound effects on
environmental and human health. Therefore, saving water is not
just about reducing the quantity we consume, but also protecting
the quality of our drinking water sources for ourselves and
future generations.
Protecting the quality of our existing water resources by
being aware of what we are putting into the water supply will
help keep it clean and reduce the cost of processing when it is
recycled back to us. There are many actions you can take to
help this protection. From simple changes in your behaviour to
installing technologies that will help to maintain quality and
quantity of water used.
1. Individual Actions
(i)
The CTC Source Protection Region
has a very quick and clear list of how we affect the quality of
our water supply
here. Take a look. You might be surprised!
(ii)
Environment Canada
has a suite of resources to help consumers reduce the quantity
of water they use and protect the quality of it in their homes.
One good example is:
Water: No Time to Waste – A Consumer's Guide to Water
Conservation Why is this guide good? Because:
i.
It is broken down into areas in your house (adaptable to
other types of buildings and behaviours)
ii.
Using the techniques outlined in the Guide, the average
family can potentially reduce their water consumption by 35%
iii.
You are able to track your consumption and conservation
by clicking the
Water Audit link at the bottom of the Guide
iv.
Water – Dos and Don'ts
FYI: If you can’t afford a rain barrel or are just up for the
challenge of creating your own, YouTube is a great resource for
finding “do it yourself” (DIY) home-projects. Here’s one for
constructing your own rain barrel. Please note: CCO does
not endorse any of the videos. Please experiment responsibly!
If you are using well water, there are a number of programs
available to use and maintain it safely:
·
Well Aware
·
Well Wise
·
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs Water
has a collection of well-related publications linked
here.
If you are using a septic system, these publications provide
advice on how to manage it effectively:
·
“SepticSmart!”
from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs
(accessed Nov. 2009)
·
“Your
Septic System” from the Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation (accessed Nov. 2009)
2. Community Projects and Campaigns
Projects
·
Green Communities Canada
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Riversides
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Clean Water Foundation
·
Stream of Dreams
·
Yellow Fish Road, Trout Unlimited
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Lake Ont. Waterkeepers
·
Well Aware, Green Communities Canada
·
Yellow Dog Rain Barrels
·
The Story of Bottled Water
Campaigns
Inside the Bottle: Tap Water vs. Bottled Water
The prevalence of
bottled water has increased dramatically in recent years. In
response to the
environmental,
health,
social and
economic impacts associated with the bottled water industry,
the Polaris Institute has launched a campaign called
Inside the Bottle. Check it out for more information on
how to join the global campaign to take water out of the bottle
and put it back in the tap.
3. Key Organizations/Networks
·
Water and Development
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The Right to Water
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First Nations in Ontario
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Water Policy
·
Great Lakes United
4. More Resources
·
Delicious – to see articles and websites that CCO has
recently tagged with “water”, please visit this link
·
Great Green Directory –
search the
Great Green Directory for products, services, programs,
financial incentives, and resources specific to the “Save Water”
conserver action
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EcoScore –
learn what
your ECOscore is! Take five minutes to rate yourself and find
out where you want to improve as a conserver.
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